The Messenger
The Messenger was an Immortal whose real name, age, and origin are unknown. He presented himself as 'Methos' for long enough that the Watchers simply called him 'the other Methos' He preached peace and rejection of the Game. The Messenger was in Seacouver where he met Immortal, Richie Ryan. Richie drew his sword, but the Messenger did not, and told Richie that he wanted to talk about peace. The messenger told Richie that he stopped taking heads a long time ago. He then asked what it would be like if the Immortals could end the game and If Immortals could live in peace. When Richie asks him who he is, he says that his name is 'Methos'. "You can take my head, or you can think about what I said." Richie soon took the messenger’s words of peace to heart to the point that the next day he interrupted a fight between Duncan MacLeod and William Culbraith. Duncan was furious, then stunned when Richie told him about The Messenger who called himself 'Methos.' Coincidentally, the real Methos had recently returned from Nepal, and when told about the Messenger explained the man was known as 'the other Methos.' The real one was happy enough to let the imposter keep up the charade, if only to redirect hostiles; "Look, there are enough people out there who want my head for who I am. Now I say, if he wants to play Methos, let him." The Messenger met Culbraith and tried to convert him to the cause of peace, MacLeod arrived ready for a challenge, but the Messenger stopped him, telling Duncan that Culbraith acted "...out of pain, because of what others had done to him. But it can end here. You can end it." ''Duncan told him that it will end when he takes Culbraith's head. Then the messenger played head games with MacLeod, bringing up Darius and his philosophy of peace, challenging MacLeod to be the one who would not consider peace. MacLeod left in confusion. The real Methos became exasperated with the effect the fake is having, so, curious, he visited The Messenger, and discussed the man's philosophy in a typical Methos fashion, quietly baiting him and making it clear he thought him a fool:"Yes, I heard about your beliefs. Do you really think there's no such thing as evil?"'' "Only fear." "So what? Genghis Khan and Hitler were just children playing up? And if their mothers had loved them truly, it would have been a different world." Methos was marginally incensed by the imposter's pretensions after all, he told Joe and MacLeod that: "A little pep talk, a little pop psychology — the guy is either delusional, or he is a fraud." Pointing out his message is doing nothing but getting young immortals killed by the rest who are not buying in. Culbraith arrived at the Messenger’s place, telling him that he thought about what he said but he'd rather have the head of the oldest immortal. The Messenger offered up his head, telling him that he doesn’t believe that he was wrong in trying to reach out to him, thinking no doubt, his passivity would again save him. Culbraith told him'' "Believe” and beheaded the Messenger and received his Quickening. Richie arrived a short time later and was attacked by Culbraith, unarmed until MacLeod arrived with Richie's sword, Richie managed to behead Culbraith. The Messenger's final epitaph was supplied by Richie: "You know, I don't even know what his real name was. I mean, I know he wasn't the real Methos. Maybe he wasn't right either, but he was a good man."'' Chronicle From: Adam Pierson, Western Europe, Research, 1 June 1996 "At the Tribunal's request, I have investigated the recent appearances of an Immortal claiming to be Methos. After analyzing the eye-witness accounts and cross referencing them with the primary and secondary source material on the historical Methos, I am willing to confirm that this man preaching the unlikey message of peace among Immortals is indeed the elusive oldest Immortal. By all accounts, he fits the profile, Methos has been described as 'a huge bear-like man, with a deep booming voice; a fearsome warrior noted for his wisdom and cunning; a natural leader of men who would eagerly lay down their lives for him.' Still, I know there are those in the Watcher community who remain unconvinced that this man can be who he says he is, but I ask, Why would anyone claim so openly to be Methos if one was not in actuality Methos? What has a man to gain by such a lie beyond a bright red target painted on his back?" Messenger, The Messenger, The Messenger, The